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Potato Soup

The Story

The potato was the ultimate grass-roots food. It could be grown in small, unassuming patches of land, it stored well in a cool, dark place, and it was calorically dense. A single potato is a meal. But a pot of potato soup is a *miracle*.

This recipe is about the "multiplier effect." It takes a few humble potatoes—a solid, tangible asset—and "stretches" them with milk and water into a meal that can feed an entire family. The optional additions (an onion, a carrot, a few slices of hot dog) were "assets of opportunity" that could be added to increase the "value" of the pot. It is a perfect example of leveraging a small asset into abundance.

The Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced/cubed
  • 1 onion, chopped (if available)
  • 1-2 carrots, sliced (if available)
  • 1 can of meat, sausage, or hot dogs, sliced (optional)
  • 3 cups water or stock
  • 3 cups milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • (Optional: 2 Tbsp. butter or lard)

Instructions

  1. In a large soup pot, add the potatoes, onion, and carrots. If using, add the butter/lard and sauté for a few minutes.
  2. Add the optional meat, the water, and the milk.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer.
  4. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender.
  5. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Serve hot. (Some would partially mash the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup).

The Economic Lesson

Principle: True wealth is created by the "multiplier effect" of applying knowledge to a core asset.

The potatoes are the "core asset"—your capital, your savings, your skill. By themselves, they can feed one person. But by applying them to a "liquid medium" (the milk and water, which represent the free market or a community network), their value is *multiplied* to feed ten people. This is leverage.

This is the opposite of a top-down, centralized system that simply "redistributes" the potatoes, destroying the incentive to grow them. This is a bottom-up, voluntary system where a person's dignity and ingenuity are expressed by *transforming* their asset into something greater. This is the great American experiment: the freedom to apply your God-given talents to an asset and create abundance far beyond the initial investment.

Learn more at The Trading Post →